NATCHEZ After deliberating less than two hours, and hearing closing arguments from the defense attorneys and the District Attorney’s office on Saturday morning, a jury returned with guilty verdicts for three men on trial for double murder in Adams County Sixth District Circuit Court. Jamarion “Jamari” Perkins, Jadarrius J. McKnight and Emanuel Hill (also called Emanuel Hall) were each sentenced by Sixth District Circuit Court Judge Carmen Brooks Drake to two life sentences to run consecutively for two counts of first degree murder in the assault-style shooting deaths of Brandon Brooks and Taron Woods on Aug. 10, 2023. Sentencing came after a disturbance in the courtroom, as Perkins and McKnight both talked as the Judge and the victims’ families were giving statements to the courtroom. McKnight could be heard first accusing Drake of showing favoritism, saying “You related to them people.” Drake ordered that he be removed and to return later “with tape over his mouth.” Perkins interjected while Woods’ mother was describing the character of her son and giving and emotional statement of her grief. From the balcony, a woman also called out “I love you Mari” while authorities were escorting him out. Sheriff Travis Patten pointed and yelled, “Get her out of here, too,” and gave a verbal warning that if anyone else interrupted, they would also go to jail. The case has been described by attorneys on both sides and the Judge Carmen Brooks Drake as a “circumstantial” one, without DNA evidence to link the three men to the crime. However, the prosecution’s key witness Zackeri Reason testified to being tasked by the defendants with hiding and destroying a black Infiniti car used to conduct the murder, implicating himself in the process. To paint a picture for the jury, District Attorney Tim Cotton stepped outside of the courtroom, closing the door behind himself. Moments later, a loud knock at the door broke the silence in the room. Cotton stepped back in and asked the jury if they could say with absolute certainty that it was him knocking on the door though circumstances would indicate that it was. The defense said that the jury “must” find the defendants not guilty because the state couldn’t prove that any of the defendants committed the crime, Cotton said. “I’m not going to tell you what you must do,” he said. “I’m simply going to remind you of the courts instructions. Use the common sense that God gave you based on your everyday experience when weighing evidence and determining the credibility of witnesses.” Earlier in the trial, a video from surveillance cameras showing three men dressed in black clothing, wearing full face coverings and gloves, using AR-15 rifles to shoot Brooks and Woods, was shown to the courtroom. It was said that approximately 55 rounds were fired at the both of them. Assistant District Attorney Larry Baker described the scene as a “war zone.” Moments earlier Woods and Brooks were standing together in calm conversation, “doing nothing,” he said. This story will be updated with more details.
https://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/3-men-found-guilty-of-double-murder-each-receive-2-life-sentences-f04304a8
3 men found guilty of double murder each receive 2-life sentences
